Starting in 2023 all shops in the city of Granada can open every Sunday or public holiday they wish, during April, May, August, September and October.
Until now, only shops with less than 300 sq/m could open but this new move means even the big department stores and shoppig centres can, too.
As mentioned in yesterday’s article on the subject, small businesses are far from happy and have expressed their annoyance through the Provincial Federation of Commerce of Granada, and backed by the workers’ unions & consumer associations, as they consider that this will wipe out the traditional sector.
Cities with over 100,000 inhabitants and have over 600,000 over-night stays (by tourists) have to have a Area of Great Tourist Affluencewhere Sunday and public-holidays are permitted during the tourist season. Town Halls had been able to restrict opening hours before. In the case of Granada, the said area was agreed upon by unions and the Provincial Trade Federation.
Later on the Junta informed the City Hall that the said zone would have to be extended to include the Albaicín and La Alhambra – failure to do so, would result in the whole of the city being included in the zone. The City Hall considers such a full extension to be disastrous for local shops
Councillor for Commerce, Eduardo Castillo, said that the City Council had lodged objections to this new ruling. What the Junta did take on board from these objections was its limitation to those five months.
The Junta claims that the decision is not theirs but is rather a nationwide decision; not a regional government one (Article 13 of Decree 2/2014) which also covers port towns that have had over 400,000 cruise-passenger visits in a year. Motril does not meet this criteria
The Junta points out that if a city does not request a ZGAT and decide on the restrictions, then the Junta must step in and declare the whole municipality a ZGAT.
The major problem is that shops in the small towns around the capital would suffer the most as shoppers will head for the capital instead of shopping in their own town.
Here is the full list provided by the Junta of town and cities that have ZGATs
(News: City & Metropolitan Area, Granada, Andalucia)